Saturday, November 10, 2007

Lorwyn is the new set on the block, rotating in as the Ravnica block rotates out. This leaves Standard in a state of turmoil until the dust clears and the best deck stands out for us all to see.

Before I start talking about possible archetypes of the new Standard, I think it best to first look at what Lorwyn offers, starting with

White

Ajani GoldsmaneThe White Planeswalker seems quite bad compared to the other Planeswalkers at first glance. His first ability is lifegain which is, well, not a very good reason to play any card. The second ability is decent and I would consider just one activation of it a pretty strong swing in the aggro mirror, but at 4 mana, Ajani is just going a bit to high in the curve for a deck like White Weenie and he's unplayable when Gaddock Teeg is out (which, I would think, is one of the main reasons you have in your aggro deck anyway). His third and final ability is to win you the game, if you have (and can maintain) a high life total. I think Ajani will see some play in a Turbo-Fog style of deck if aggro decks take over the meta, but the fact that he's best against aggro, and neutralized by Gaddock Teeg, is definitely a strike against him.

Austere CommandI quite like this Command, despite it being on the expensive side. I could see this being Wrath of God five and six in some decks, but beyond that, I don't see it being played much in Standard.

I wish that it actually had a fourth ability.

Brigid, Hero of KinsbaileAh, if only she had Vigilance. Brigid could see some play in Standard, and definitely in Block, despite the clear printing error, due to her ability to hold off an opposing force and slip in under Gaddock Teeg.

Burrenton Forge-TenderMana efficient? Check.

Protection from red? Check.

Gives Red players a headache all over the world? Check.

This will almost certainly see some sort of Constructed play.

Cenn's HeirWhile the Heir can potentially swing for lots of damage, you'll need at least two other attacking Kithkin to make him better than any other two-drop. Unless one of the other Kithkin is a Gaddock Teeg, that opens you up to a three-for-one from a Wrath of God.

Crib SwapHow can a card that's so outclassed by another card be considered good? Because it is Changeling, or, more specifically, it is a Knight and can be recursive through Haakon, Stromgald Scourge. (More specific decklists and discussions can be found here, and here).

Now that I've gotten that little combo out of the way, Crib Swap is still a weak card for Constructed. It is simply not worth splashing into a Haakon Inversion deck over say , which offers Boom / /Bust and Lightning Axe, both of which have more synergy with the rest of the deck (Boom and Smallpox is a nice disruption package), and help more in getting the actual combo going (Haakon in the graveyard). That's not mentioning and the Tarmogoyf, and to a slightly lesser degree, Call of the Herd, that it brings to the table.

Galepowder MageThis guy could see some minor play in Momentary Blink decks, but he's a bit limited in his targets in that he can't Blink out a Mystic Snake.

Goldmeadow StalwartThe new Isamaru is one of the more Standard playable Kithkin. Running it along with Gaddock Teeg means that you only have to find a few more (I'd say 8 more) Kithkin in order to make him a great one-drop.

Hoofprints of the StagIt's a pretty decent token producer but with Sacred Mesa, and Mobilization in Standard, I don't think that it'll see much play.

Kithkin HarbringerIf this guy cost 1 less, I could see it being played as Gaddock Teeg 5-8 since it could enable a turn 3 Gaddock Teeg, but much like many other crappy cards, it's slightly too expensive.

Knight of MeadowgrainFirst strike, and lifelink on a nice, mana-efficient package. Constructed playable it is.

Militia's PrideA truly excellent token producer. Militia's Pride allows you to build up a large attack force while not overextending into a Wrath of God. Standard playable, Block playable, and last but not least, revealable by turn one Goldmeadow Stalwart for gloating purposes.

Mirror EntityI could see this being run as a one-of in Kithkin-based aggro decks, or decks that are running a few Kithkins for the Kithkin Stalwart, due to its Changeling status which enables it to be searched for via Amrou Scout for an alpha strike.

Oblivion RingNot quite a Vindicate, but still very good. I see this being at least a 3-of in many Constructed White decks due to both its power and ease of splashability.

Pollen LullabyLike many cards with the text, "Prevent all combat damage", somewhere on the card, Pollen Lullaby is bad. However, if Turbo-Fog gains popularity due to the aggro meta, it will probably be played in said deck.

PurityThe White Incarnation basically reads, "You have Protection from red," so it'll probably be played by some Red-fearing people.

Thoughtweft TrioA very good 4-drop in Kithkin-based aggro decks that is absolutely amazing in the aggro mirrors. Whether its better than Calciderm is up for debate, but I would lean toward running both.

Wizened CennIf Kithkin make it big in Standard, this guy will be with them, providing a 2-mana Glorious Anthem on a 2/2 body. His inclusion in Block is a guarantee.

Blue

Broken AmbitionsA decent counterspell indeed, providing a third "2-mana" counterspell or just replacing Delay for those that don't like it. The Clash is of little relevance, but it gives it a Condescend-like feel.

Cryptic CommandWow, the Blue Command is . . . amazing. It's like a Dismiss that can also act as a Boomerang and/or a better Deluge. It's also the only counterspell that isn't nearly useless with an Eyes of the Wisent on the board. Four of in every Standard Blue deck. If your deck's mana-base can't support the Command, you need to spend a bit more time fine-tuning it.

Faerie HarbringerOnly as playable as the other Faeries are, and still a bit on the expensive end at 4-mana. At least it has Flash to take away a bit of the negatives of the mana cost. Unlike the other Harbringers though, it does have some synergy with Counterbalance.

Faerie TrickeryUnless there is a large rise in Faerie decks, Faerie Trickery is better than Cancel. Countering a Haakon, Stromgald Scourge, or a Call of the Herd is far more satisfying when it's actually a one-for-one trade.

Familiar's RuseThis cheap little counterspell could see some play in Blink decks for its synergy with the rest of the deck but outside of decks that really want to reuse "come into play" effects, I don't think Ruse will be very playable.

Fathom TrawlTidings finally has a contender for the 5-mana, massive amount of card advantage slot. Fathom Trawl, while very powerful, loses to Tidings in my view due to control's desire to have a lot of mana sources at its disposal. Of course, some people will prefer the Trawl because it digs deeper for whatever removal you need at the moment (Damnation comes to mind), but sometimes you want those lands.

On the other hand, both Tidings and Fathom Trawl are inferior to Aeon Chronicler for two reasons: Chronicler can win games, and he can be used while Gaddock Teeg is on the board. What use is a spell that digs for removal when you can't even play it?

Forced FruitionTo use this Enchantment as a win condition, you'd have to have the “Rule of Law with Spell Burst” lock going which means that you've already won the game anyway, making Forced Fruition nothing but an overcosted Enchantment that won't help you when you're losing.

Jace BelerenThe first card that you thought of when you saw Jace was Phyrexian Arena, but that's not the only card he can emulate. As far as constructed goes, I doubt that his first ability will be used much, if at all. It's the second ability, "Draw a card," that is what makes Jace so powerful. Left alone, he can draw you three cards, netting you two cards total before dying. That's better than Compulsive Research, and Research was played in pretty much every Standard control deck that was willing to tap mana during its own turn. Granted, they couldn't attack your Compulsive Research, or Incinerate it, but it's not a total loss if they do so, as you've still gotten a two for one (or a Reviving Does). The mill ability will likely never be used since either of the other abilities is better, but it’s nice to be able to knock down the opponent's library with one fell sweep.

It should also be noted that he's one of the few good draw spells that isn't shut down by Gaddock Teeg.

He's also a nice addition to the Turbo-Fog deck that I've been barning about, due to him acting as both a Howling Mine, a win condition, and being on color with the sideboard cards that the deck will need to fight other control decks.

Merrow ReejereyA pretty good Lord for the Merfolk, along with Lord of Atlantis. The ability to tap down potential blockers, allowing you to sneak by Akroma, Angel of Wrath, is very nice.

Mistbind CliqueThis is most likely going to be the most playable Champion creature. Played during your opponent's Upkeep, it is nearly a Time Walk that is attached to a 4/4 Flier. Champion a Thieving Sprite if you want to make it extra hard on your opponent for killing the Mistbind Clique.

MulldrifterA decent draw spell alternative over Jace Beleren. Mulldrifter provides immediate card advantage though, and can be played at full cost to provide even more card advantage as a blocker. Has good potential to be played in Standard control decks and Blink decks.

PonderWhile a very good card, this might not see Standard play for a time due to lack of a deck that needs it. Control decks would rather have a spell that gives them card advantage than a bit of selection and combo decks seem to be going on a downward trend with Gaddock Teeg stopping an Empty the Warrens (and Dragonstorm, if the deck wasn't dead already) win, and Thorn of Amethyst stopping, well, pretty much every other way of "combo-ing off".

Scattering StrokeA 4-mana counter that can occasionally be a Mana Drain. While it might be occasionally very strong, I would stick with the more consistent Cryptic Command, or even Dismal Failure.

Scion of OonaThis card is amazing. It's a Rebuff the Wicked (in a good color), Glorious Anthem (once again, in a good color), and a 1/1 Flier. No more needs to be said, Scion of Oona and Mistbind Clique will be the backbone of every competitive Faerie deck.

Sower of TemptationControl Magic on wings, which is a disadvantage for once. Still, with Scion of Oona out, it'll be hard for the opponent to kill the Sower and take back their disloyal servant. While it is maindeck-able in the creature-heavy meta to come, I think this is best as a sideboard card due to its inefficiency against control.

Spellstutter SpriteWhen I first (mis)read this card, I thought that it countered a spell unless its controller pays . What it actually does feels a bit underwhelming after that reading mistake, as it will most likely not be able to counter anything on turn two, and has very little chance of countering spells with a converted mana cost of four or more.

Black

Boggart MobPretty good for a Champion. The Mob creates tokens to chump block or potentially sacrifice to a Fodder Launch. It's a bit high in the curve, but most Standard Goblin decks will be reaching up in the curve for Siege-Gang Commander anyway.

Eyeblight's EndingA nice removal spell, its usefulness may decrease depending on the popularity of Elf decks. That said, it'll probably see play.

Fodder LaunchMmm, definetly one of the stronger Goblin cards. Pitching a Goblin Token to take out a Doran, the Siege Tower, and deal 5 damage to the face is great. Definite staple in Standard Goblins.

Hoarder's GreedWhile potentially a great source of card advantage, this card is just too risky, not to mention a bit on the expensive side. Imagine winning the Clash once or twice against an aggro deck and losing 4-6 life as a result. It could see some play in Black-based control or midrange decks that aren't running Blue.

Knucklebone WitchThis is a potentially huge one-drop for the Boggart tribe that synergizes well with many playable Goblins in Standard. While it will most likely die shortly after hitting play, that looks to be more of a sign of how strong it could potentially be, something that you don't generally see in the average one mana creature.

Liliana VessThe Black Planeswalker looks to be very powerful in the control-on-control matchup due to the first and last ability, but underwhelming against every other style of deck. Against an aggressive deck, it's a bit slow to have high impact, and too vulnerable to combat damage and/or burn to use the second ability immediately, the one that you'll likely want to use in this match-up. If it started with 6 Loyalty counters, it would be a far more impacting Planeswalker, with the ability to Vampiric Tutor the turn it comes into play and survive an Incinerate. The last ability is powerful, but since Liliana offers little in terms of board control (putting a Damnation on the top of your library is about as much as she offers), she'll probably have a hard time getting to 8 Loyalty.

Mad AuntieA nice Glorious Anthem for Goblins to go with the Goblin King is about all your going to get out of the Auntie. The "Regenerate another target Goblin" is largely useless since she's going to be the target nearly 100% of the time. Still, it's nice to have against those ever so forgetful opponents.

Makeshift ManequinAn interesting reanimation tool to say the least. The downside won't be huge when you're reanimating an Akroma, but it doesn't seem like the Instant speed that this has over Dread Return is worth the risk.

Nameless InversionThe best spell to combo with Haakon for sure. An infinite source of removal makes it very hard for any deck to kill you, and with Haakon conveniently providing an unlimited amount of creature power. . . .

Oona's ProwlerWow, a 3/1 for with . . . quite a bit of a downside. I highly doubt that this critter will see play in an optimal Mono-Black Aggro deck due to the high amount of playable 2-drops that already exist in that color (Nether Traitor, Dauthi Slayer, Dunerider Outlaw, and Stromgald Crusader) but the Prowler could see play in Haakon-based decks for his impact on the board, and the ability to act as a discard outlet for Haakon.

Profane CommandAmazingness in an incredibly versatile package that is both useful to aggro, control, and everything in between. Reanimating one of your creatures while offing an opponent's causes a huge board swing in the aggro matchup, or just giving your team fear and making your opponent lose life could give you the game right there. I see the -X/-X and life loss abilities being used the most with reanimation a decently close third and mass fear ability used only occasionally.

ShriekmawCower in fear, the replacement for Terror has come! At the small loss of Instant speed, you have the ability to pay full price and get a decent threat on the board. This will likely see play in most, if not all Black for a while to come.

Thieving SpritePretty weak by itself, just an overcosted Ravenous Rats with Flying, but with a few other Faeries in play, or when Championed by Mistbind Clique, this Faerie could be pretty powerful. Possible playing time in a / Faerie deck.

ThoughtseizeThe neo-Duress is, unsurprisingly, one of the best cards in Lorwyn. Getting hit by this on turn one is game-breaking enough that the loss of 2 life is an acceptable drawback.

Is Thoughtseize better than Duress? I would say no. While the ability to knock creatures out of the opponent's hand keeps it from being strictly worse, the life loss makes drawing this in multiples very bad for you, possibly giving you dead cards in matches against aggro where every card counts.

Still, as a one mana, pinpoint discard spell in Standard, it will see play in pretty much every deck running Black.

Red

Boggart ShenanigansThis enchantment is just awful. It could see play in something like Extended Goblins, where you have Skirk Prospector and Fecundity, but as far as Standard goes, playing a combo-oriented card in a deck that has no way to abuse it is just bad.

Chandra NalaarI must say that while I expected the Red Planeswalker to be a bit like Jaya Ballard, Task Mage, I didn't expect her to be so similar. I guess there's not much variation that you can have for a Red Planesalker. I was hoping for a Stone Rain-like ability but Chandra is pretty powerful as is. With 6 loyalty to start with, probably 7 after she's used her ability for the turn, she's the most resilient of the group. The first ability allows you to both but your opponent on a clock but also can serve to shut down opposing Planeswalkers by never allowing them to build up loyalty counters. Her second ability gives her a degree of board control that most of the other Planeswalkers lack, allowing her to protect both herself and you. The third and final ability is insane, a one-sided Wrath of God with 10 damage tacked on, generally enough damage to kill either your opponent or take out a key Planeswalker they control.

Chandra looks to be the most playable Planeswalker so far due to her higher base loyalty, stronger board control abilities, the ability to negate other Planeswalkers while build up her counters, and the fact that she's a win condition all on her own.

Changeling BerserkerA nice, hasty Champion creature. This could see play as the height of the curve for an aggressive Red deck. He can be searched for with Flamekin Harbringer and be revealed by Flamekin Bladewhirl.

Flamekin Bladewhirl2/1s for have always been playable (well, except for Norin the Wary) and this is no exception. There are plenty of decent Elementals that can be used to pay its trigger: Changeling Berserker, Rift Elemental (if you're running Gargadon), Sulfur Elemental, Inner-Flame Acolyte, Incandescent Soulstoke and the Flamekin Harbringer.

Flamekin HarbringerMain Elementals that I could see this tutoring up are Changeling Berserker, Ingot Chewer and possibly Nova Chaser, which are pretty good, so it's not too bad at for a 1/1.

Incandescent SoulstokeThis card will be played in the Elemental-based aggro decks that could emerge in Standard. Works quite well with Nova Chaser, but the combo is a bit on the fragile side.

Incendiary CommandThe Red Command is definitely one of the weaker Commands, although it is still marginally playable. Most of its abilities are underpowered though. It should have done 1 more point of damage on both its Pyroclasm and Giant's Ire abilities to bump it up to a more playable state. The ability to destroy a Non-Basic Land is pretty good, and gives the Command more relevance in the control match-up. On the other hand, the watered down Wheel of Fortune ability is just terrible.

Ingot ChewerA decent Artifact removal card that can be played as a creature in the late game. This is probably a 1-of in the maindeck or sideboard of any deck running Flamekin Harbringers.

Lash OutWhile Incinerate is a more versatile, and therefore better, burn spell than this, it is very possible that Lash Out will see play as Incinerate 5-8.

Nova ChaserNot bad at all for a 4-drop but the fact that Doran makes it effectively a 2/2, and pretty much every removal spell can kill it before it gets an attack off, it probably won't see much play. If it is played at all, it will be with Incandescent Soulstoke to give it Haste.

Soulbright FlamekinA mana engine that is just too easy to disrupt. If they have a Mogg Fanatic, or any other sort of removal spell, they can easily kill the target and make you waste a turn.

Sunrise SovereignWith a lack of other Giants that are playable based on their own strength, this guy probably won't see Standard play any time soon.

TarfireIf you're running Tarmogoyf, or Boggart Harbringer, use this over Shock. Otherwise, stay away from this card.

Thundercloud ShamanThe only playable Giant other than the Sunrise Sovereign and Brion, Stoutarm that I can see.

Wild RicochetAn interesting trick to say the least, but other than Profane Command, there don't seem to many juicy targets for this card.

Green

CloudthresherA 7/7 for 6 that has Flash? That's insane, even if it does require a heavy dedication to Greeen. The ability to clear the air of pesky Faeries is a nice bonus as well. Cloudthresher's playing time will depend largely on how the metagame shapes up. If Faeries, or another type of deck that uses a lot of Fliers, becomes a dominant archetype, Cloudthresher will be showing up every so often in a sideboard to act as a one-sided Wrath of God.

Dauntless DourbarkA 4-drop 5/5 that only gets better as the game progresses, pretty nice. It's a very good beatstick but the need for Forests makes this a mono-Green only card, which means it will likely see very little play. The decision to go multi-color with Tarmogoyf, or mono-color with the Dourbark isn't likely to end in the Dourbark's favor.

Eyes of the WisentFirst things first. This card is completely overrated.

Sure it completely hoses Blue-based control decks, but those are hardly going to be competitive in an environment full of aggro decks or Haakon decks with unlimited spell-casting ability. Not to mention you are probably going to be one of said aggro decks since you're running Green.

There is also a gaping hole in the counter wall now that Spell Snare is leaving Standard. You can easily slip in two creatures on the play which will force them to tap out on turn four for Damnation, the spell that you actually should be worrying about (along with Tendrils of Corruption).

In short, Eyes of the Wisent is not worth the sideboard space, or the mana that would need to be spent on it turn two, and it's certainly not worth your money.

Garruk WildspeakerThe Green Planeswalker is quite versatile, being able to serve as both mana acceleration and a token producer. Explosive Vegetation is good, as is Call of the Herd, which along with his last ability, Overrun, makes for a solid Planeswalker. He does have a bit of asynergy with Gaddock Teeg however, which may lessen his play time in the maindeck and make him a sideboard option (likely to replace said Gaddock Teegs in aggro match-ups).

Imperious PerfectA good Elf that gets very little support from its tribe outside of the Mana-Elves, Elvish Champion, and the Watchelf.

Primal CommandPossibly the worst of the Command cycle, even worse than the Red one. This consists of two abilities that will rarely be used, and two abilities that are far too weak to justify the mana spent. At least the other three non-Blue Commands only had one "dead" ability.

Treefolk HarbringerThis Harbringer could see play in decks based on Doran, the Siege Tower for his ability to tutor for said beatstick, and be a strong offensive 3/3 with Doran on the board.

Wren's Run PackmasterPretty good for an Elf, but I wouldn't bet on him saving the Elf tribe from Tier 4 status.

Wren's Run VanquisherThe same as the Packmaster really. It's a good card in a weak tribe.

Multicolored

Brion StoutarmA very powerful 4-mana Giant that could possibly see play in a post-Ravnica Angelfire deck along with Lightning Angel, and Calciderm, or any deck running /.

Doran, the Siege TowerThis 3-mana 5/5 is worth every bit of hype that it has gotten. It has strong synergy with already good creatures such as Ohran Viper and Tarmogoyf, while retaining under-costed beatstick status by itself. The Siege Tower is also on color with some of the best removal in the format, namely Shriekmaw, and Oblivion Ring, as well as Gaddock Teeg, Saffi Eriksdotter, and Mystic Enforcer.

Gaddock TeegAn efficient 2-drop that also has a possibly game-winning ability thrown in. This guy is not to be underestimated as he can not only shut down Wrath of God and Damnation, but also several of the strongest card advantage engines in Standard, Careful Consideration, Mystical Teachings, and Profane Command. Gaddock is yet another card that is worth every bit of hype that's surrounded him, as he can single-handedly murder a control deck that has no answer for him, as well as shut down possible 4-mana spells that are run in non-control decks such as Fodder Launch and Cryptic Command.

He's a menace to the Standard format, and I mean that in a good way, in that every single deck built from now on must take into account how well it can function with Gaddock Teeg out, and whether maindeck answers must be run.

As far as whether Gaddock should be a maindeck or sideboard card, I would say maindeck. The main thing that separates him from other such hosers, such as Magus of the Moon, is that he is an [i]efficient[/card] creature that rests in a nice place on the curve, unlike the 3-mana 2/2 that I just mentioned, and other such creatures.

Horde of NotionsI actually quite like this card, but since the five colors that you need to have to cast it are harder to get than the that you need to cast Akroma, he'll likely remain unplayable.

Nath of the Gilt-LeafNath is like Liliana, except where Liliana makes them discard a card every turn and then brings back a load of Tarmogoyfs, and other Green in his mana cost, which is a suboptimal control color, in my view. Only playable if you are very afraid of Gaddock Teeg.

Sygg, River GuideAnother solid 2-drop Merfolk to go along with Silvergill Adept and Lord of Atlantis. His activated ability is quite good for protecting your creatures from removal, and forcing through damage in combat.

Wort, Boggart AuntieA good Goblin, but slightly out of range for what most Goblin decks want. She promotes a more midrange strategy of long-term card advantage, while many other Goblins want to be more aggressive. Wort could see play in a few Goblin decks, but is likely too high in the curve for most mana-bases to support.

Wydwen, the Biting GaleI have mixed feelings about this card. In aggro-control, it's a bit inefficient, although the evasion and ability help make up for it, but keeping it alive is very mana intensive, reducing Wydwen to just a 3/3 Flier that you can't risk tapping mana to save. For control, it's underwhelming as it's a very slow clock, even if near unkillable. I would, at most, play it as a 2-of in non-Faerie / aggro-control, due to competition for the 4-drop slot with Mistbind Clique (which is better overall), and not at all in control.

Artifacts

DeathrenderWhile it can help cheat big creatures into play, keep in mind that you spent 4 mana to play it, and 2 more mana to equip it, mana that could have been better spent on getting said big creatures out on the board another less obvious and easy to thwart way.

Thorn of AmethystThe best Artifact in this set, which really isn't saying much. Slows down a lot of control decks and makes generating a high Storm count nearly impossible. While it is a very good card, this will probably not see major play in Standard due to the lack of a good combo deck.

Lands

Ancient Ampitheatre, Auntie's Hovel, Gilt-Leaf Palace, Secluded Glen, and Wanderwine HubThe Lorwyn duals are all usable if you are running enough creatures of whatever tribe each one needs.

Windbrisk HeightsNot too hard of a requirement to achieve if, much like the Mosswort Bridge, you aren't playing against a deck running Damnations. Especially easy to meet the requirements if you're running Militia's Pride.

Shelldock IsleSomewhat playable if you intend to drag the game on for a long time.

Howltooth HollowFar too harsh requirements must be met for this to do anything.

Spinerock KnellThe requirements aren't that hard to meet, but any deck capable of dealing 7 damage in a turn is most likely an aggro deck, and would rather run something like Ghitu Encampment.

Mosswort BridgeDecent chance of being played as the requirements are pretty easy to achieve against a deck that isn't running Damnation, but if you have 10 power on the table, why do you need to play anything else?

Shimmering GrottoNot too bad for a mana-fixing Land but outshined by the "Vivid" cycle.

Vivid Meadow, Vivid Creek, Vivid Marsh, Vivid Crag, and Vivid GroveAll of these lands are playable as they are great mana-fixers for three, or even four, color decks.

As you may have noticed, aggressive decks are getting quite a few tools that are decidedly anti-control.

Teachings Control, both Block and Standard (Dralnu du Louvre) versions, will likely fall behind in the new Standard, as it is unable to stop the combined power of efficient early drops, Gaddock Teeg, and Militia's Pride. The card advantage engine must also be weakened by using Mulldrifter and Jace Beleren, or the risk of getting shut down by Gaddock Teeg when you have no answers in hand and are unable to cast Careful Consideration or Mystical Teachings is too great.

The other two control decks of ex-Standard, Angelfire and Solar Flare, are hurt more by what they lose than what aggressive decks are gaining. The loss of dual lands and Karoos make their mana bases horrid, and some of the main reasons to run the color combinations (Lightning Helix, Castigate, Mortify, Court Hussar, Firemane Angel, and Angel of Despair, just to name a few) are rotating out.

Likewise, the already inconsistent Perilous Storm will be leaving along with its draw engine, Hatching Plans, and the key cards that it needed to beat aggro, Remand and Repeal.

Which leaves Rack, and the various color combinations of aggro decks as the remaining decks from ex-Standard. The Rack feels weak in a gauntlet consisting of large fat creatures that are very resistant to Black removal, and as it can't exactly outfight the majority of aggro decks in the Combat Phase, the future looks quite grim for this archetype.

The most competitive aggro color combinations from ex-Standard and Time Spiral Block are Block UG, RG, WG, WRG, and the newly introduced WBG.

UG can be crossed off the list as it faces the same problems as GB Rack and it has even less removal to help solve the issue.

RG "Gruul Beats" is still the same mix of small creatures, Greater Gargadon, Tarmogoyf, and burn, with an emphasis on the "small creatures." With no evasion, very few ways to deal with an army of fatties, and a weaker burn suite than before due to Char's rotation, I'm going to have to say that it'll roll over to the stronger board control aspects present in WG, WRG, and WBG.

Basic WG Aggro is the most mana-consistent of the aggressive decks using those colors as a starting point. It has the ability to go on the early offensive, but can also hold its own against bigger creatures with its own Calciderm and Mystic Enforcer (Tarmogoyf is a given at this point). Overall, I feel that generic WG is sub-optimal as there are enough mana fixers to warrant adding another color for the increase in power. If it takes a more Kithkin oriented route, though, being able to run Thoughtweft Trio as another amazing creature in the aggro match-ups could be enough to bump it into Tier 1.

WRG Aggro, only loosely related to Standard's Zoo and Block's Kavu Justice, features Brion Stoutarm as the addition to the creature base, and Fiery Justice as well as other burn to improve on board control aspects while making it easier to boost up Tarmogoyfs. Whether Red adds enough to the deck to make it a viable option instead of, or even over, WBG is questionable, but a bit of reach never hurts in an aggro deck.

Lastly is WBG. It has the speed of an aggro deck, yet the power of a midrange deck due to the amazingly efficient Doran. Treefolk Harbringer on turn one into a turn three Doran isn't hard to pull off at all, and puts them on a very short clock that still gives you a bit of time to play a Gaddock Teeg on turn two, or Thoughseize their Damnation away. I think that this is the strongest of the current aggro decks, as it has the beefiest, yet most mana efficient, creature base and has an impressive set of removal that together allows it to transition smoothly from beatdown to control and vice versa.

So how do the tribes play into all of this? It's safe to scratch the Treefolk and Giants off the list of potentially playable tribes because of their very shallow card pools which only contain one or two card playable in their own right and their immensely high mana curves, although the latter offers decent board control in Desolation Giant and [card]Thundercloud Shaman[/mana]. The Elves also have a very shallow card pool, although they have more playables than either of the previously mentioned tribes. That still doesn't save them from being Tier 2 "I lose to UB Teachings without a god hand" fodder.

The Elementals have a nice mix of aggressive and combo aspects. Unfortunately, both aspects are weak. It is nearly impossible to break through a stalled ground war with the low cost Elementals as they all lack evasion and size (Flamekin Bladewhirl is the only one that breaks the curve of efficiency), and the combo with Incandescant Soulstoke and Nova Chaser is very easy to counter.

Kithkin look to be strongest as an underlying theme in a WG aggro deck as they will most likely run into problems against other aggro decks that run removal and have stronger creatures. They are playable on their own as a White Weenie type of deck, but not running Gaddock Teeg, or splashing green for him alone seems like a waste.

UB Faeries have very strong tempo creatures: Pestermite and Mistbind Clique, the best of the new "Lords" (that would be Scion of Oona), Cryptic Command, and Thoughtseize. They have a bit of competition for the best aggro-control deck title from the Merfolk, but they will most likely reign as the best aggro-control deck in the new meta as they have strong match-ups against control and can put up consistent fights against nonred aggro decks. Highly unsuggested for a Red-dominated meta.

BR or monored Goblins will have issues dealing with midrange decks without Fodder Launch, face a few problems, mainly in the mana curve. The strongest Goblins are all over the curve, starting with Mogg Fanatic and ending with Siege-Gang Commander. This wasn't really an issue for the Onslaught Goblins as they had [card]Goblin Warchief[/mana] to smooth out mana issues, but for the Boggarts, this means they have three routes.

The first route is to be a weenie deck, focusing on the low end of the curve and their speed. This route has problems against fatter creatures, which are in every single other aggro deck at this point, as it will want to run burn over Black removal leaving it with only Fodder Launch as a way to control the ground.

The second route is to focus on the high end of the curve, a more of a midrange approach to the deck. Siege-Gang Commander is good at controlling the board, and Wort, Boggart Auntie can provide a Graveborn Muse-like effect, which can give this deck the power it needs in the creature battle. Recurring Fodder Launch for a few consecutive turns is some good.

The last route is to just forget about the mana curve and stuff whatever Goblins you think are best into the deck. This leads to a rather inconsistent deck that, while it may win games, is altogether quite terrible.

Unlike their fellow aggro-control Faeries, the Merfolk actually can put up a bit of a fight against Red. Most of the Merrow do not need other Merfolk in play in order to function well. The main issue with the Merfolk is the clogging at the two-drop slot between Silvergill Adept, Lord of Atlantis, and Sygg, River Guide. Otherwise the tribe is solid, offering good two and three mana creatures to take slots in a WU aggro-control deck that can islandwalk to victory against the Faerie "mirror" and the majority of control decks. Main reasons to play Merfolk instead of Faeries are Mana Tithe, Momentary Blink, Oblivion Ring, and the better match-up against Red.

Rounding out the Lorwyn-Standard meta, will be Haakon Inversion, and possible WU or WG Turbofog. There may be a variety of Red- or Black-based control decks running large amounts of removal in order to beat the aggressive decks, but Faeries or Merfolk will keep them in check.

Overall, Lorwyn looks like it'll bring on an era of aggressive mirror matches to Standard that are heavily focussed on the Combat Phase, and complex mathematical equations that we can all have fun solving.

So how do the tribes play into all of this? It's safe to scratch the Treefolk and Giants off the list of potentially playable tribes because of their very shallow card pools which only contain one or two card playable in their own right and their immensely high mana curves, although the latter offers decent board control in Desolation Giant and [card]Thundercloud Shaman[/mana]. The Elves also have a very shallow card pool, although they have more playables than either of the previously mentioned tribes. That still doesn't save them from being Tier 2 "I lose to UB Teachings without a god hand" fodder.

The Elementals have a nice mix of aggressive and combo aspects. Unfortunately, both aspects are weak. It is nearly impossible to break through a stalled ground war with the low cost Elementals as they all lack evasion and size (Flamekin Bladewhirl is the only one that breaks the curve of efficiency), and the combo with Incandescant Soulstoke and Nova Chaser is very easy to counter.

Kithkin look to be strongest as an underlying theme in a WG aggro deck as they will most likely run into problems against other aggro decks that run removal and have stronger creatures. They are playable on their own as a White Weenie type of deck, but not running Gaddock Teeg, or splashing green for him alone seems like a waste.

UB Faeries have very strong tempo creatures: Pestermite and Mistbind Clique, the best of the new "Lords" (that would be Scion of Oona), Cryptic Command, and Thoughtseize. They have a bit of competition for the best aggro-control deck title from the Merfolk, but they will most likely reign as the best aggro-control deck in the new meta as they have strong match-ups against control and can put up consistent fights against nonred aggro decks. Highly unsuggested for a Red-dominated meta.

BR or monored Goblins will have issues dealing with midrange decks without Fodder Launch, face a few problems, mainly in the mana curve. The strongest Goblins are all over the curve, starting with Mogg Fanatic and ending with Siege-Gang Commander. This wasn't really an issue for the Onslaught Goblins as they had [card]Goblin Warchief[/mana] to smooth out mana issues, but for the Boggarts, this means they have three routes.

The first route is to be a weenie deck, focusing on the low end of the curve and their speed. This route has problems against fatter creatures, which are in every single other aggro deck at this point, as it will want to run burn over Black removal leaving it with only Fodder Launch as a way to control the ground.

The second route is to focus on the high end of the curve, a more of a midrange approach to the deck. Siege-Gang Commander is good at controlling the board, and Wort, Boggart Auntie can provide a Graveborn Muse-like effect, which can give this deck the power it needs in the creature battle. Recurring Fodder Launch for a few consecutive turns is some good.

The last route is to just forget about the mana curve and stuff whatever Goblins you think are best into the deck. This leads to a rather inconsistent deck that, while it may win games, is altogether quite terrible.

Unlike their fellow aggro-control Faeries, the Merfolk actually can put up a bit of a fight against Red. Most of the Merrow do not need other Merfolk in play in order to function well. The main issue with the Merfolk is the clogging at the two-drop slot between Silvergill Adept, Lord of Atlantis, and Sygg, River Guide. Otherwise the tribe is solid, offering good two and three mana creatures to take slots in a WU aggro-control deck that can islandwalk to victory against the Faerie "mirror" and the majority of control decks. Main reasons to play Merfolk instead of Faeries are Mana Tithe, Momentary Blink, Oblivion Ring, and the better match-up against Red.

Rounding out the Lorwyn-Standard meta, will be Haakon Inversion, and possible WU or WG Turbofog. There may be a variety of Red- or Black-based control decks running large amounts of removal in order to beat the aggressive decks, but Faeries or Merfolk will keep them in check.

Overall, Lorwyn looks like it'll bring on an era of aggressive mirror matches to Standard that are heavily focussed on the Combat Phase, and complex mathematical equations that we can all have fun solving.